The Winter Garden
by PikaGirl260
Summary: When a malfunction occurs during flight and Hiccup finds himself and Toothless stranded on a desolate island hundreds of miles from Berk, they are forced to try to find a place in which to stay until Toothless' flight gear can be repaired once again. And, it's when they discover that this island is far from uninhabited, that they also learn about dark secrets that lie there as well


"Are you sure that you have to set out _today_, Hiccup; there's a howling storm going on out there are who knows what'll happen if you and Toothless lose control? Why not leave it a little longer; the world can wait for you, dear," my mother's pleading voice trails into my ears as she begs me to stay for just one more day, something that she's been doing ever since I told her that I was planning on taking off to see the world with nothing but my dragon and the open skies.

However, since dad is no longer around, I'll be leaving her behind with no one at all; even though the townspeople have warmed up to her and see her as a part of the community, she still prefers the company of Cloudjumper and the other dragons who made it back alive from the sanctuary in which she cared for them all. I still find it difficult to believe that that's where she had disappeared to: a place where she took care of stranded dragons who had lost their way or were unable to carry on their endless journeys into each corner of the world that we live in. One that I long to explore and see for my own eyes.

That's why, no matter how much she pleads and begs, I know that I have to get away today; if I don't, I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to leave this place, since everyone's pretty much relying on me after they handed over the position of chief to me after my father's scarring death. Recently, I've been having a reoccurring nightmare that attacks me with almost every slumber, one where I just keep seeing him sacrifice himself for me on a loop that has no end until I manage to wrestle my way out of sleep's iron grasp.

And, as much as I hate to admit it, ever since that incident, something between Toothless and I has never been quite the same; he just seems to act kind of over-obedient, as if he lives to accept every order that I make of him as more of a slave than a companion. The only thing that I can think of that's influencing him to behave in this manner, is the fact that the shot that ended my father's life was beckoned from his body, though his mind had been seduced by evil influences that forced him to turn against his allies. To turn against me. I can't shake the feeling that, even though it wasn't directly his fault, he still feels responsible for taking my dad away from me.

Pulling myself out of my never-ending thought process, I draw my attention back to my mother as her eyes watch me with concern whilst I proceed to slip on my best pair of boots, the material hugging my lower legs since I've has them for as long as I'm able to recall, meaning that they've been able to adapt to the shape of my feet. She lightly shakes her head, tutting under her breath as if she doesn't expect me to hear her; though she never wishes to hold me back from anything, I'm certain that this is something of which she doesn't approve since we both know how dangerous it is flying out into a storm, such as the current one. However, like I stated earlier, I have to go today before I'm able to have any alteration of my thought process.

"I'll be fine mom; I am _your _son after all." I know that, with that line, I've most likely won her over; she's a sucker for flattery when I compliment her with how well she's able to bond with and control dragons, earning her the title 'The Dragon Guru', which both mom and I mock when no one else is around since it sounds so incredibly ridiculous. However, I can tell that, deep within her heart and past all of the sarcastic comments about her new nickname around Berk, she feels appreciated much more as people have recognised her natural abilities to handle dragons. And, knowing what it feels like to finally be noticed by those around you after being ignored and pushed out of society for most of your life, I'm just able to tell that her feelings share those of my description.

Though I expected her to cave in almost instantly after that remark, her eyes still focus on my face with an edge of worry catching onto the mint flecks that are held within her emerald iris'. I wish that she's just allow me to leave; the longer she looks at me with those pleading eyes, the more she's convincing me to stay behind and scrap my dream of seeing the world in its full glory. "I promise, mom. I'll be careful," I murmur soothingly, my hand finding her cheek to act as consolation in the hope that she'll be able to just accept my departure and bid me farewell. And, after taking a deep breath and placing her own hand over mine, she finally nods her head in approval, though it's done with a heavy heart and the longing to say 'no'.

"Just remember to come home every once in a while; we need you here, Hiccup." Before I can allow her words to make any affect on my final decision, I plant a soft kiss on her cheek before darting out of the house and into the raging storm that awaits me. Boy, is flying through this going to be a challenge! Then again, it's about time that we start testing out different weather conditions; the world holds many climates and I'm expecting to see them all! "I love you," she whimpers to me, though I can barely hear through the howling wind that screeches in my ears without any sign of ceasing. And, when I turn to face her one final time, I watch a single tear roll down her cheek before the door seals shut to block out the harsh weather that I'm about to throw myself into.

"I love you too, mom," I reply silently, my final goodbye being hijacked by the howling wind and swept away to the open seas.

Though the weather is so terrible and I'm barely able to see anything within 2 centimetres in front of my face due to the horizontal sheets of ice-cold rain and hail that collides with my body every single second with the same ridiculous force as the last, it doesn't take me long to navigate my way to the side of the house so that I will be able to call Toothless down from the roof where he seeks refuge each night.

I really should build him a proper area in which to sleep; on nights like this, I can't imagine that he gets much rest at all when he's being constantly attacked by this atrocious weather. "Toothless! Come on, bud; it's time to go!" I cry as loud as my volume capacity will allow in a feeble attempt to force my voice through the screaming blanket of wind and hail. Now, I just have to hope that he was able to hear me and will be by my side within a matter of mere seconds.

Just as I suspected, like any other ordinary day, the ground underneath my feet shudders ever so slightly as Toothless bounds down from the roof to join me on the ground, his mint-coloured eyes piercing through the thick torrent of rain that surrounds us with a certain eagerness glinting in his iris', his pupils fully dilated with the same excitement that I share at the fact that we're finally heading out to see the world with our own eyes and feel new earth under our feet.

Without hesitation, I instantly slide my way onto his back, placing myself in the familiar position that rests between his wings, preparing the rest of my body to encourage him into flight as I slide my feet into their respectable places and grasping onto the front of the leather saddle on which I sit with my hands. "You ready, bud?" I murmur as I lower myself down until the top half of my body is pressing against the back of his neck, knowing that my words will reach him if my mouth is stationed directly next to his head.

Though I know that dragons are unable to verbally speak, he flicks his head in my direction with what seems to be a cheeky smirk on his mouth, his eyes glinting with anticipation as they fall upon my face, causing a crooked smile to creep up my lips. "Then let's go!" I yell out into the storm, jamming my helmet onto my head so that it will prevent the weather from obscuring my vision whilst we're in the air, and tightening any final buckles on my outfit to ensure that nothing will come apart when flying. When I'm done, I squint my eyes to look out at the crashing waves that are intent on swallowing up one another in a fit of rage, highlighting just how intense this storm really is. This is going to be fun!

With Toothless, fighting against conditions like these and dodging lightning bolts that make feeble attempts to hit us is just about as difficult as breathing, the sensation that I get after evading another strike of lightning making each inch of me tingle with slight accomplishment; when I'm flying, I feel as if nothing in the world can stop me from doing what I want. Endless possibilities are what awaits any who take to the vast skies that continue on forever. And I plan to witness them all!

However, just as we avoid yet another deathly fork of vicious white light that barely misses Toothless' wing, I feel his flight becoming uneven and panicked as if there's something that's playing on his mind and is distracting him from keeping a straight course. "Toothless, what is it?" I question carefully, ensuring that I don't startle him when he seems to have somehow snapped into a completely different mindset that's no longer focused and clear. Then I come to realize what it is when I sense a change in his flight gear; no matter which position I place my feet in in order to steer him, it doesn't seem to be taking any effect at all!

I spare myself a second to turn back to face Toothless' tail, which is where I dread to look since I'm almost certain that that's where the error has occurred. And, sure enough, when my eyes meet with the crimson material which is bound to the tip of his tail to enable his flight, I see that it's slowly beginning to tear apart into scarlet tatters which will in no way support us for much longer! If I want to ensure that we both survive, not allowing my mind to dwell on what may have caused the rupture in his tail since I'm too busy panicking, I know that we have to land before we lose all control. "It's alright, bud; I won't let you fall, I promise," I try to mumble in a calm tone, though my voice has begun to tremble with the terror that's suddenly started to fill every inch of my being, swallowing my mind and dragging it into the depths of utter panic. Because, no matter how hard I look through the never-ending force of rain, I can't spot any signs of land in the area close to us since we're Thor knows how many miles from Berk by now.

It's when I'm about to lose all hope of getting out of this with our lives, do I spot the smallest spit of land off in the distance, barely visible at all through the blinding sheets of pelting rain and hail that are bent on ensuring that they take our lives down to the unforgiving depths of the deadly seas. Well, if there's one thing that I don't intend on doing, it's dying! This could possibly be the last mistake that I ever make, or the very thing that safeguards both of our lives, which are lost if I don't try anything before Toothless' gear completely loses all function. With a heavy breath and determined heart, I direct Toothless towards the island and encourage him to streamline his body, his wings folding against his sides and encasing my legs as they lap over the majority of his back as well, folding himself up to fire himself at that spit of land like a bullet.

The second that a sudden impact occurs with my body, I try to desperately seek out the answer as to whether we made it or not. However, due to the sensation of falling into the very depths of oblivion, I can only guess that we weren't so fortunate. I guess that this is the end for both of us, though I hate the idea of dying since I'm unable to do anything about it. I'm powerless. Goodbye, Berk. Goodbye, mom. Goodbye, Toothless. I'm sorry.

Yet, just before I'm pulled into the unforgiving abyss of oncoming death, my eyes focus on one sight that pierces through the impending darkness as it draws closer and closer to my vision. Instead of seeing nothing but black before death steals away my final breaths, I instead find myself looking into an oblivion of white and azure before my senses are finally severed.


End file.
